Private Moments
by ronniekins77
Summary: Remus struggles with his feelings for Tonks. Missing moment from OotP.


**A/N:** Missing moment from OotP. Prompt; Slippery. Originally written in Dec. 2006.

Also, I just want to say... there is not enough Remus/Tonks in the world. Seriously.

--

Putting up Christmas decorations seemed to have put everyone in a good mood. With the exception of Harry, everyone else was decorating and thoroughly enjoying themselves; Ron was putting hats and beards on the stuffed elf heads on the wall and sniggering to himself like it was the funniest thing in the world, Ginny was sprinkling fake snow everywhere, and Sirius was singing carols heartily.

Remus, a long smile on his face, stared bemusedly at Tonks, who had taken it upon herself to start decorating the tree. She was standing on a chair, her arms stretching as far as they would reach to place a fairy on one of the top branches. Her hair was bright green today, with the exception of one red streak near the right side of her heart shaped face. The silver light emanating from the fairies made her cheeks glow and Remus couldn't help but look down to her smiling pink lips.

"Wotcher, Remus," she said, turning around unexpectedly and he was snatched away from the mini-trance he had fallen into.

"Hello, Nymphadora," he replied, trying his best to sound casual. Unfortunately, he sounded like a teenaged boy going through puberty. _Merlin, Remus, you're too old for this_, he thought.

Tonks looked amused for a moment and then picked up another fairy to secure on the tree. Remus made to look at anything other than Tonks, but failed when she bent over slightly and he automatically noticed how the jumper she was wore clung to her in certain...places. _Merlin, Remus!_ he groaned internally. _Not only are you too old for this, you're too old for her!_

He was busy scolding himself when he heard a small cry. Looking up, he saw Tonks with her arms held out horizontally, as if she had just caught herself from falling. She glanced over at him, laughing. "It's a bit slippery," she said.

"I can see that," said Remus, thankful that his voice had returned to its normal tenor.

Tonks straightened and pointed at him. "Can you hand me another fairy?"

Remus did so and found himself wondering just how old Tonks was. If he was going to win the battle taking place in his head, he needed to think up logical points about how their ages weren't really _that_ far apart, even if they were. It was hard to tell just what her age was, as she had the ability to change her appearance. She could very well be in her thirties (oh dear, he hoped so) instead of her twenties.

He let out a tiny sigh as she held out her hand for another fairy. "Thank you," she said and he rolled his eyes in frustration - how could just her _voice_ be so charming?

The fairy squirmed in her hands a bit and Tonks made to soothe it, whispering words of comfort. Remus watched her as she smirked triumphantly when the fairy finally lay motionless. She set it at the center of the tree and then -

"Don't do that!" he snapped as she _licked_ her _lips_.

"What?" she said, so startled that she slipped off the chair. Remus grabbed her in an awkward, stumbly sort of embrace, and in the process his lips brushed across the tip of her small, dainty nose. He heard Tonks' breath hitch and he knew he was breathing heavily himself. He stared into her eyes, unable to look away, even though he knew he probably should.

"Remus..." she said softly.

She leaned toward him; he could see clearly the tiny freckle next to her left eye, could feel her sweet breath, and he closed his eyes...

"HERMIONE'S HERE! HERMIONE'S HERE!" Jumping apart as if something had burnt them, they spun around to see Ron Weasley running around to every room in the house, alerting everyone that his friend had arrived and oblivious that he had just interrupted a private moment.

"Erm, I think I'll go invite Hermione in," said Tonks, walking past him.

Remus watched her go, then peered frustratedly up at the ceiling when he realized that the moment Ron had interrupted could have been their first kiss.

_Damn him._


End file.
